Helen b



H; B. RENNIB. BICYCLE SKIRT ADJUSTER.

(No, Model.)

HELEN B. RENNIE, OF STRATFORD, CANADA.

BICYCLE-SKIRT ADJUSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 582,091, dated May 4, 1897'. Application filed March l, 1897. SerialNo. 625,638. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, HELEN BATHIA Runnin, of the city of Stratford, in the county of Perth and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and Improved Bicycle- Skirt Adjuster, of which the following is a specification. r

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, effective, and cheap device for the use of lady cyclists whereby the skirt is prevented from working up by the action of pedaling, as well as from blowing between the dress-guard and the spokes of the rear wheel when it is windy or the pace is fast, thus affording all the convenience of a divided skirt without attracting the attention which is usually bestowed on that class of attire; and it consists, essentially, of a band of rubber webbin g or other elastic material adapted for attachment at its lower end to the boot or gaiter, while its upper end is attachable to the front seam of the skirt near the knee, so as to form an elastic connection between this seam and the riders foot, and thus permit freedom of action; also of a band of rubber webbing or other suitable material attached near the upper end of the iirst-mentioned band and adapted for attachment to the rear seamiof the skirt, so as to be in a substantially horizontal position when in operative position, substantially as hereinafter described.

Figure l is a view showing my skirt-adl juster in operative position, part of the dress being broken away to indicate the mode of connecting it to the boot and to the skirt. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of my device detached from the boot and skirt.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

In Fig. l, A is a skirt,which is partly broken away to show my skirt-adjuster in operative position.

B is the riders left boot, which is shown resting on a pedal.

C is an elastic band of suitable length, preferably made of rubber webbing, and is provided with a buckle C', in order to make it adjustable as to length when required.

D is a ring which is hidden from View in Fig. l, but shown in Fig. 2 at the lower part of the elastic band C. It is buttoned into the boot or gaiter or may be laced into the the cords g or an equivalent mode of attachy ment. This spring-metal grip G grips the selvage of the front seam of the dress near the knee of the rider. It of course can be adjusted up or down to suit the riders convenience, and the lower ring D on the other end of this elastic band C-may be buttoned onto a lower button instead of the upper button, as indicated in the drawings. These spring-grips G G are shown in'Fig. 2. The side View, showing the metal grip G,illustrates a preferable forni. The gripping ends are provided with teeth in the usual manner, and as they grip the selvage of the dress no harm can be done to the material. This metal grip G is attached to the end of the upper elastic F by means of a small cord f or equivalent method.

It will of course be understood that a device similar to that just indicated is also tted on the far side of the dress, as well as to the boot or gaiter on the other foot.

The upper elastic band F is designed to gather in the fullness of the skirt to the side in order to keep the skirt from being blown or caught between the dress-guard and the spokes of the rear wheel.

I thus provide a device which possesses the double merit of great simplicity and cheapness, and by using it the ordinary bicycleskirt is rendered quite as convenient as a divided skirt and wheeling is made both safe and pleasurable in an ordinary walking-costume and all necessity for weighted skirts or skirts made of heavy material is done away with. l

lVhat I claim as my invention isl. In a device of the class specified, the combination of an elastic band provided at IOO one end With means of attachment to a cyclists boot, and at the other to a front seam of the skirt, an upper elastic band connected to the first-named band near the attaching device for the front seam and provided with means of attachment to a rear seam of the skirt, substantially as described and specified.

2. In a device of the class specified, the combination of an elastic band adjustable as to length and provided at its lower end When in operative position, With means of attachment to a cyclists boot, and at its upper end to the front seam of a skirt; an upper elastic band adjustable as to length and connected to the iirst-named band near its upper end aforesaid, and provided with means of attachment to a rear seam of the skirt so as to be substantially horizontal when in operative position, substantially as specified.

3. A skirt-adjuster, comprising the following elements: the elastic band C; the ring D; the connecting-ring` E; the upper elastic band F; the spring-1netal grip G, suitably connccted to the conncctingring E; and the spring-metal grip Gr, suitably connected to the upper elastic band F, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

4:. In a device of the class specified, the combination, of the elastic band C, adjustable as to length by the buckle C; the ring D, at the lower end of the band C, When in operative position,for attachment to the cyclists boot; the connecting-ring E; the spring-metal grip G, connected to the connecting-ring E, by the cord g, for attachment to a front seam ot' the skirt; the upper elastic band F, adjustable as to length by the buckle F; and the spring-metal grip G, connected to the end of the upper elastic band F, by the cord f, for attachment to a rear seam of the skirt, substantially as described and for the purpose speciied.

Stratford, February 22d, 1897.

' HELEN B. RENNIE.

ln presence of- J. P. MABEE, GEo. RENNIE. 

